Rotary machine for expanding metal sheets



Nov. 29, 1927.

J. A. HALLS ROTARY MACHINE FOR EXPANDING METAL SHEETS Filed Nov. 11,1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,058

J. A. HALLS ROTARY MACHINE F OR EXPANDING METAL SHEETS Filed Nov. 11,1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,058

umrrn STATES PATENT orrlca.

Il'OSIEIPIlI-A. HALLS, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE TBUSCONSTEEL G!- I rm, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

ROTARY MACHINE FOB EXPANDING METAL SHEETS.

Application filed November 11, 1925. Serial 1%. 68,440.

This invention relates to a machine of the Figure 6 is a detail top planview of the rotary type for expanding pre-slitted metal end portion ofthe machine shown in Figs. sheets, and has particular reference to cer-4 and 5. tain novel improvements in the type of ma- Figure 7 is anelevation of the power end 56 6 chine covered by the U. S. Patent ofMelvin of the machine giving anv example of the S. Groh, No. 1,527.403,dated February 24, preferable way of intermittently operating 1925, andthe U. S. application of Melvin the expanding drum.

S. Groh and Joseph A. Halls, Serial No. Figure 8 is a detail nplan viewof a re- 731,634, filed August 12,1924. slitted herringbonebla indicatinby ot- 60 10 A primary ob ect of the invention is to ted lines its firstposition with re atlon to so construct a rotary machine of the type theexpanding roll of the machine. referred to as .to increase its utility,and Figure 9 is a plan view of the herringto widen its use, moreparticularly adapting bone sheet partly ope s I it for opening andexpanding a metal sheet The machine includes in its general organ- 66which has been previously slitted in a manization a machine frame orstand designated ner to form the well known herringbone generally b theletter A provided at the type of metal lath. To that end the inventopthereo 'with a horizontal feed table tion contemplates asociating withthe ribbed B having at its inner edge an angular morexpanding drum anovel means of holding tise b forming a receiving recess for the 7 andfeeding a slitted sheet of the herringstationary die block 0, and abovethis die bone type whereby the herringbone mesh block is arranged apressure bar D mountwill be opened evenly and without buckling edbetween the angular upstanding supand without imposing excessive strainson porting brackets E surmounting and mountthe individual strands at thesides of the ed upon the frame at the ends thereof and l slits. Also, inthat connection the improve over the feed table portion B. At one sidements are so designed and correlated as to of and adjacent thestationary die or die permit the sheet to vibrate longitudinally block Cis mounted for rotation a rib of the expanding drum to adapt itself tothe or shouldered expanding drum designated swinging of the strands asthey are pulled generally by the reference letter F. 80

open to the diagonal positions which they In carrying forward thepresent invenoccupy in the finished herringbone lath. tion the rotaryexpanding jdrum F is pref- While the invention is necessarily suserablyprovidedwlth a tool steel. or equivceptibl'e of structural modificationwithout alent peripheral shell 1 in which are cut departing from theprinciple or scope therethe longitudinally extending die ribs 2. 86

of a preferred and practical working em- These die ribs are cutsufliciently deep, and bodiment thereof is shown in the accompanyarespaced at suflieient distance apart, so as ing drawings, in which: to beadapted particularly for engaging and Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview of a opening a slitted sheet of the herringbone rotary expandingmachine embodying the type. and a necessary and important feature 00 40improvements constituting the present inin the construction of the drumis that the vention. die ribs thereof extend continuously in Figure 2 isan-enlarged detail sectional straight lines longitudinally of the drumview of the sheet holding and feeding unit. body, and from end to endthereof, that Figure 3 is a top plan view of the said each individualrib of the drum will re- 06 46 unit in its relation to the feed table ofthe sent a substantially continuous flat sho der machine. that engagesthroughout the successive un- Figure 4 is a detail view of an end porcutstri s or vertebra between the rows of tion of the machine to show moreclearly the diagonal slits in the herringbone blank, thus end mountingof the pivotal pressure bar. providing for opening an entire row of said100 Figure 5 is an elevation o the end porslits at once, producing theherringbone eftion of the machine shown in Fig. 4. feet in the mesh ofthe product.

position, to receive the inner edge of the preslitted blank as indicatedby the dotted lines in Fig. 8 of the drawings thereby to position theuncut edge strip of the blank for engagement by the first rib of theexpanding drum when the rotation of the latter is started.

Any suitable gearing appliances may be employed for intermittentlyrotating the expanding roll, one revolution at a time, that is,providing for its continuous rotation through one revolution to expand aslitted metal sheet of a given length and width, the automatic stoppingof its motion when thus revolved one revolution, and then starting thesame to take up the expansion of the second sheet. However, forillustrative purposes there is shown in the drawings one way of doingthat. In such illustration the ex panding drum shaft is shown fittedwith the spur gear 4 meshing with an intermediate gear unit 5,interposed between the same and a driving pinion 6 on the drive shaft 7which carries the belt or power pulleys 8. Associated with theseinstrumentalities is a clutch-device 9 having a trip lever 10 carrying atrip element 11 adapted to be engaged by a trip detent m on the spurgear 4. The

' said detent, at the completion of one revolution of the expanding drumengages the trip element 11 ofthe lever 10, causing the latter to movein a direction to disengage the clutch, thereby automatically stoppingthe rotation of the drum. When another slitted sheet is inserted, andits inside edge entered into the land 3 of the expandingdrum, themachine is again started by manipulating the starting lever 12 having anoperating connection 13 with the clutch 9 so as to pro-. vide forre-engaging the clutch. This operation is repeated while the machine isat work. a 7

An important and distinguishing feature of the present invention is asheet holding and feeding unit shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings. This unit includes a sliding feeding bar 14 mounted formovement on top of the feed table B and preferably consisting of anangle plate having a parallel motion toward. and from the rotaryexpanding drum F. This feeding bar preferably consists of an angle plateor iron and its parallel motion may conveniently be derived from aplurality of swingin carrier links 15 arran ed in suitable spaceparallel relation and plvotallv connected at one end as at 16 tothelower horizontal flange of the angle plate 14, and at the other endportions pivoted as at 17 to the table top. When the links 15 swing theycarry with it the feeding bar 14 but always maintain 'said bar inparallel relation to the slitted sheet/being fed .and to the expandingroll which operates upon the slitted sheet. A convenient way ofoperating the feeding bar is to provide one of the carrier links 15 witha handle extension 18 which may be operated by one hand of the operator.

The sliding feeding bar.14 has fitted thereto and carries therewith awork holding gauge 19 preferably consisting of a sheet steel orequivalent plate and having an inclined web portion 20 formed at itslower ed e with a horizontal slide flange 21 which slidably rests uponthe table top, and at its upper end formed with an an ular bracketportion 22 having a terminal depending attaching flange 23 which isscrewed, riveted, or otherwise securely fastened to the vertical flangeof the feeding bar 14. At the juncture of the inclined web portion 20 ofthe plate 19, withits angular bracket portion 22, there is formed anabutment seat or groove 23 in which is' seated the back edge of theslitted sheet S when placed in position for feeding to the ribbed ortoothed expanding drum.

Another feature of practical importance in the present invention is themounting of the pressure bar E between the upstanding end frame bracketsD of the machine. That is to say, it is the purpose of the presentinvention to pivotally mount the pressure bar D so that it may be pushedby the operator to an out of the way position as indi cated in Fig. 4when the slitted sheet is inserted thereunder for engagement with thefirst tooth of the expanding drum. It is then allowed to drop to itsvertical position shown in 'Fig. 1 immediately over the die block C andplace a slight frictional holding pressure upon the slitted sheet whilenot interfering with its longitudinal reciprocations or vibrations asthe diagonal strands are pulled to the open position shown in Fig. 9 ofthe drawings. Any convenient way of pivotally mounting the pressure barD may be employed but as shown in the drawing a practical way ofaccomplishing that is to have se'cured'tb each end of the pressure bar(as shown in Fig. 5) a pivot plate 22 provided with a pivot stud 23pivotally engaging a bearing socket 24 \provided at the inbends down theslitted sheet over the edge of the stationary die block C.

As already indicated, the improvements herein described are especiallyadapted to accommodate a herringbone type of shtted metal sheet as shownin Fig. 8 of the drawings, and in order effectually to properly open themeshes of such a sheet the said holding and feeding unit is provided tohold the sheet S at an inclination as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, and also to feed it at that angle, by the operation of thefeeding bar 14 and the actuating means therefor, to the teeth of thedrum. In Fig. 8 of the drawings is shown the pre-slitted sheet S havingthe usual arrangement of the diagonal slits for the herringbone lath andthis sheet is fed in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 over the tableand the stationary die blockso as to bring the inside edge of the sheetinto theland of the expanding drum. At this point itwill again be notedthat the die ribs are substantially continuous throughout the length ofthe drum, and the points of every two ribs are spaced apart a distanceapproximately the distance between the uncut strips or ribs of theherringbone sheet when in its expanded condition.

en the sheet is fed between the pressure bar and the die block C it isto be understood that the frictional resistance offered to the feed ofthe sheet between the said bar and die block is greater than the forceexerted to expand or; open the sheet, but not sufficient to interferewith a part of the sheet reciprocating longitudinally of the drum toadapt itself to the swing of the strands as they are pulled open to thediagonal position shown in Fig. 8' which they occupy in the herringbonemesh.

From the foregoing it is thought that .the

construction and advantages of the improvements herein described will beunderstood without further description and that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the principle or'sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

I claim 1. The herein described method of expand ing a pre-sl-ittedmetal sheet of the herring bone type which consists in operating arotary toothed expanding member against the successive uncut strips ofthe sheet between the slitted sections thereof, and simultaneouslcausing the sheet to be fed to the expan g member in a manner to permitit to reciprocate or vibrate longitudinally.

2. An expanding machine for pre-slitted metal sheets including a framehaving a table top and a die member, an expanding drum havingsubstantially continuous longitudinal non-cutting shoulders and arrangedto rotate in proximity tosuch die member and to engage an 3. Anexpanding machine for-pre-slitted metal sheets including a frame havinga table top and a die member, an expanding drum having'substantiallycontinuous longitudinal' non-cutting shoulders and arranged to rotate inproximity to said die member and to engage longitudinal uncut portionsof the sheet parallel to its edge, and a sheet holding and feeding unitarranged to operate over the table top and having means for holding thesheet in an inclined position.

4. An expanding machine for pre-slitted metal sheets including a framehaving a. table top and a stationary die member, an expanding drumhaving substantially continuous longitudinally disposed non-cuttingshoulders arranged to rotate in proximity to said die member, andadapted to engage longitudinal uncut portions of the sheet parallel toits edge, a pivotal pressure bar mounted over the stationary die member,and a sheet holding and feeding unit arranged to operate over the tabletop at one side of said pressure bar.

5. An expanding machine for pre-slitted metal sheets including a framehaving a table top and a stationary die member at one edge thereof, anexpanding drum having substantially continuous longitudinally disposednon-cutting shoulders and arranged to rotate in proximity to saidstationary die member thereby to engage longitudinal uncut portions ofthe sheet parallel to its edge, brackets arranged at the ends of thetable top and provided with bearings and stop elements, a pressure barcarrying at its ends pivot projections adapted to engage in saidbearings, said bar being adapted to engage said stop elements, and asheet holding and feeding unit operating on the top of the table top atone end of the pressure bar.

6. An expanding machine for pre-slitted metal sheets including a framehaving a table top and a stationary die at one edge thereof. a ribbedexpanding drum arranged, to rotate in proximity to said die, a pressurebar supported over the die, and a sheet holding and feeding unitoperating from the table top and comprising a. suitably operated slidingfeed bar and a work holding gauge carried by said bar and provided withaninclined portion and an abutment seat or groove at the upper part ofsaid inclined portion to receive an edge of the blank being fed and tohold it in an inclined position.

7. An expanding machine for pre-slitted metal sheets including a frame,a table with a die member, a pressure bar located over the die member, aribbed expanding drum arranged to rotate in proximity to such diemember, and means for feeding a slitted sheet against the expanding drumat right angles to its axis. 7

8. An expandin machine for pre-slitted metal sheets inclu ing a frame, atable with a die member at its edge, a pressure bar located over the diemember, a ribbed expanding drum arranged to rotate in proximity to suchdie member, and means for feeding a --slitted sheet to the expandingdrum at right angles to its axis, said means being so arranged as topermit longitudinal reciprocating motion of the sheet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

' J OSEP H A. HALLS.

